How Could I Not?
by miller26e
Summary: A twist on how Gabriella and Troy got together...
1. Chapter 1

AN: Hey everyone! This is my first story, so please review and critique! This story is set in the very beginning of High School Musical, but the storyline will be different.

Everybody is starting Junior Year, it is not like in the story where they are all ready halfway through junior year....Oh, and Sharpay is actually somewhat nice.

Please review because I would like to know if I should still continue with this story or not. Also, suggestions are really apppreciated! I haven't gotten very far into the storyline so I would love ideas!

Disclaimer: I do not own High School Musical or any of its characters. All I own is the plot along with my original characters.

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Her voice rang through his head every day since that fateful New Years Eve night. He could tell that she was shy, but also that she had an edge to her personality that many girls strive for. Those chocolate brown eyes and dark, wavy hair gave her a sense of mystery and beauty, although, he guessed that she was oblivious to it all.

Troy Bolton had looked everywhere for her the next day, but it was as if she disappeared. He searched the ski lodge until he felt like he could no longer walk. Sure, he had her number and picture, but it was not the same as seeing her again.

He sighed. After two days of continuous searching, he finally gave up.

'Maybe it just wasn't meant to be...' he thought.

Although, her name was always floating around in the back of his head. Gabriella.

_**7 MONTHS LATER**_

Gabriella looked around her now empty room. She tried to picture where everything used to be. The pictures of her best friends, her desk, her books, even her hamper. She tried to hold back her tears, but did so unsuccessfully. It finally hit her like a ton of bricks. She was leaving California and moving to New Mexico. She was leaving her friends and her school and her life that she had so carefully built over the course of 16 years...

Her mom owned _Gossip!_, one of the largest selling magazines in the country. Since her mom owned the magazine, she was never required to move around, so she settled in Orange County, California. Now, she had the sudden urge to uproot her family and move from the surf and sand to the desert.

Brie took one last look around her room, then she made her way down the stairs to say good bye to all her friends...

"Gabriella!", someone yelled.

She looked around for the voice. It came from her best friend, Andrea (Andie) Tilmont, Before she knew it she was engulfed in a huge hug by about five different bodies. Gabriella looked at all her amazing friends.

Of course their was Andie, the bubbly, leggy, blond who shared the co-captain spot on their school's state-championship winning volleyball team with Gabriella. She also happened to be Gabriella's best friend.

Then, there were the twins, Natasha and Claire West. Nat was the captain of the cheer leading squad with more designer clothes then any one person should need. Claire, the more reserved one, was the star soccer player and all-around athlete. Both were blessed with strawberry blond hair and bright blue eyes.

Finally, there were the boys: Logan Hunt and Zac Mitchell. They were both typical high-school football players. Logan was brown-haired and had brown eyes while Zac had black hair and green eyes.

Brie felt a little awkward hugging Logan, considering they had been dating since freshman year and had just broken up because of the distance, but it felt good all the same.

"I am going to miss you so much," sighed Andie. She looked as if she was about to cry.

"Promise you will call everyday?", asked Claire.

Gabriella just smiled and nodded, too afraid to do anything else for fear that she might break down.

She took turns hugging each person, but saved Logan for last. When she finally reached him she didn't even know what she could say to make it all better. Instead, he took the plunge and started talking first.

"Always remember me," he whispered.

"How could I not?" she whispered right back.

Gabriella gave him one final kiss, short and sweet, but lacking passion, and she climbed into the driver's seat of her silver Porsche.

While looking at all her friends, neighbors, and even a few family members, she contemplated just driving somewhere far away from everything. Away from her old life, her new life, just somewhere neutral, but as she turned the keys in the ignition she realized that she was already heading towards a whole new life in Albuquerque.


	2. Chapter 2

I'm back! Okay so I only got one review although many people viewed the story, but hey thats cool! I am still open to new ideas since I'm not quite sure how this story is going to go...Enjoy!

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Troy could hear the basketballs being dribbled on the pavement as he made his way down to the courts in the park. School was starting in two days and basketball season would come shortly after. He was planning to lead his team to the championship game, which many had done before, but none had actually succeeded in winning for quite a few years.

He broke out into a run once he realized his friends were getting ready to start.

"Hey man! Where have you been?" yelled Chad Danforth, Troy's best friend since preschool.

"You know...mom needed help with the groceries," laughed Troy.

"Well come on! We don't have all day!" said an exasperated Zeke.

Troy glanced around and saw that the whole gang was there. Chad and his girlfriend Taylor McKessie, Jason Cross, Zeke Baylor, Kelsi Nielson, and of course the drama twins Sharpay and Ryan Evans.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," muttered Troy right as he stole the ball from Jason and made a basket from half-court.

The five boys continued playing for four hours straight with the girls cheering in the background. When they had finally called it quits, the gang made its way _Deeno's_, the local restaurant, and had laughed and talked just like any other day.

* * *

Gabriella had spent the past few days in Albuquerque inside her house unpacking. She never left the house because she felt she wasn't ready to face the world. Brie mulled around her mansion-like house memorizing every nook and cranny. Her room was perfectly organized and now she just had to wait for school the next day. She walked out onto her balcony and heard voices and laughter emanating from the house next door.

'Probably a last day of summer party..." she thought sadly.

Gabriella did feel jealous, but mostly she just felt completely lost. She let her eyes sweep over the expanse of houses one last time before she climbed into bed. A few minutes later she was lost in dreamland, dreaming about the sunny, warm beaches of California...

* * *

The first day of junior year came quickly in Troy's opinion. He threw on jeans, a t-shirt, and shoes before heading downstairs to the heavenly smell of waffles.

"Good morning my sweet son of mine!" chirped his mother.

"Mom! Seriously!"

"Oh don't get all riled up...eat your breakfast and brush your teeth before you leave, okay?"

"Of course mom," smiled Troy.

She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and then took off for work. Lucille Bolton was the general surgeon at Albuquerque Hospital. His dad, Jack Bolton, was the boys high school basketball coach at East High, Troy's high school.

After getting ready, he jumped into his beat-up, old truck and drove his way into a whole new year.

* * *

She heard her alarm go off several times until she finally got up out of bed. Brie jumped into the shower and let the hot water wash away all her worries. She spent what felt like an hour in front of her closet before finally deciding on jeans and dark purple baby-doll top. She grabbed her book-bag as well as a banana and got into her Porsche and made her way towards East High.

Gabriella pulled into the student parking lot, took one last breath, then stepped out of her car. When she saw the school, she had to admit that for a public school, it was pretty nice. She realized people were staring, not really at her, but more at her car. She sped up her pace and found her way to the main office.

"Hi sweetie. What can I do for you?" asked the woman at the front desk.

"Uh...I'm new here and I just need to get my schedule."

"Of course! What's your name?"

"Gabriella Montez..."

"Yes! We've been expecting you! I'm Sarah, by the way, and here's your schedule," she said while handing Gabriella her schedule, "Miss Evans can show you around. Miss Evans?" she called.

"Yeah?" replied a blond that looked a lot like Andie, but with a wardrobe like Natasha.

"Can you please show Miss Montez around?" asked Sarah, "I believe she has a few classes, including homeroom, with you."

"Uh, sure," said the blond before directing her attention to Gabriella, "Follow me."

They walked down several hallways before the blond starting talking again.

"So, what's your name again?" she asked.

"Gabriella, Gabriella Montez."

"Cool. Where did you move from?"

"California, the Orange County area."

"Wow. Why did you move here of all places? Oh and I'm Sharpay by the way." asked Sharpay.

"My mom owns _Gossip!_, so I guess she wanted a change of scenery. I don't try to attempt to understand what goes on inside her head..."

Sharpay stopped dead in her tracks.

"Your mom owns _Gossip!_, as in the number-one selling gossip magazine in the country _Gossip!_?" she exclaimed.

"Yeah, that one," Gabriella replied.

"Wow...my family owns the Evans hotel chain, but that...wow!"

By that time she had continued walking and they had reached the classroom 234. They walked in and Sharpay introduced Gabriella to Ms. Darbus. Ms. Darbus seemed to really like Gabriella, but she couldn't be sure. After those introductions, Sharpay pulled her over to what seemed like the "popular" group and introduced her to maybe about seven people.

"Guys!" Sharpay screamed, trying to get their attention. Once she did she started.

"Okay this is Gabriella. She just moved here from California and she's my new best friend," she joked.

Everybody just rolled their eyes, but still waited for Sharpay to speak again.

"Gabriella, this is Chad, Taylor, Kelsi, Jason, Zeke, my brother Ryan, and Troy," said Sharpay.

Gabriella smiled and nodded at each one in order, but once she got to Troy, she froze. It was those eyes, the deep blue eyes that she sometimes dreamed about, but always felt guilty about after because of Logan. After seven months, she had actually found him...Troy.

* * *

As soon as Sharpay introduced her, he knew it was the girl. The girl that he always thought about no matter which girl he happened to be with that night. It was her and she seemed just as shocked as he was, but all the same it was her. Gabriella.

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**Okay, so can you please tell me whether or not I should continue with this story? And of course ideas are absolutely welcome!!!**


	3. Chapter 3

"Gabriella?" asked a very shocked Troy. He couldn't seem to keep his eyes off of her.

"Troy?" questioned and equally stunned Gabriella.

"Wow...I can't believe it's really you!" exclaimed Troy, "I looked everywhere for you the next day, but I couldn't find you.

'I should of just called her,' he secretly thought in his head.

Gabriella laughed. "Yeah, well my mom whisked me away to another one of her stupid meetings in New York City."

Sharpay and the rest of the gang seemed completely baffled by the two teenagers seemingly normal conversation.

"Whoa, wait a minute. You two know each other?" asked Sharpay. She looked between Brie and Troy.

"We kinda met on News Years Eve," explained Brie.

"It's a long story having to do with karaoke and fireworks...".

By now, everybody except Troy and Gabriella had confused looks plastered on their faces. Ms. Darbus heard the bell ring and attempted to calm the rambunctious class. She clapped her hands together. "Okay class quiet down!"

The teacher waited a few seconds before continuing, "As most of you know our junior class has a new student all the way from California, Gabriella Montez." Gabriella waved shyly and flashed one of her Oscar-worthy smiles. "Anyway, the Fall Musicale auditions are three weeks from Friday. It is called Twinkle Towne and there are many roles to fill. Also, in other less-important news, sports auditions...I mean_ try-outs_ are two weeks from Tuesday..."

Gabriella heard her homeroom teacher emphasize the word try-outs and figured that she wasn't a big fan of the sports world. She spent the rest of the day getting situated in her new life. Each class that she had she shared with at least one other member of "the gang". She ate lunch with all of them and even found another girl, Chloe Michaels, who was on the volleyball team. By the end of the day, she had made tons of friends and even liked her classes. Her and Sharpay had actually come surprisingly close over the course of the day. When the bell finally rang at the end of the day, she gathered her things and headed for her locker. Taylor caught up with her, "So, where do you live?".

"Um...1724 Town Drive. It's the huge white house at the end. It it kinda hard to miss." Gabriella looked down at her feet. She felt very self-conscious about her wealth status.

"Really? Shar and Ryan live just a few houses down. We always wondered who bought the Donovan's house..." Gabriella opened her locker and transferred her books in and out.

"Do you need a ride home?" asked Taylor.

"No, I have my car. Thanks though," Gabriella smiled at a new thought that she had just thought of, "Maybe we can get together tomorrow or something?".

"Yeah, we were all going to go out anyway. You should tag along," said Taylor.

Brie again felt self-conscious. She was never the "tag-along" type. Back at her old school she was the "it-girl" and the one everybody wanted to be friends with, but she sucked up her idiotic pride and agreed.

"Sure, I'd love to! I have to get going now, see you tomorrow," yelled Gabriella over her shoulder.

On her way out of the huge oak doors, she accidentally ran into Troy, "Whoa there! Where's the fire?" Troy asked.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going." she said sheepishly while a huge blush erupted over her cheeks.

He just waved it off, "No worries. So I'll see you tomorrow?" Gabriella foolishly thought that she detected a trace of hope in his his voice. "I guess you will. See you later Troy," she replied coolly.

Troy watched her walk to her car, completely mesmerized by her gorgeous body and quick wit, before realizing he was acting like an idiot staring at her and walked towards his own car. Gabriella went to sleep that night feeling a lot better than she had in a long time.

'This is going to be and interesting year,' thought Gabriella. Then, she drifted off into a deep sleep, no longer filled with warm, sandy beaches, but ocean-like orbs of blue.

**There's the chapter. I am really sorry that it is so short. I swear it seemed longer when I wrote it. I am having a writer's block at the moment, so I am not quite sure what the next chapter is going to be about. I am thinking about bringing Brie's old friends back into the story somehow...**

I saw that a lot of people put this story on their alerts, so I'm really happy! Still, though only one review...Oh well, I'll get over it. Please tell me if I should continue this story or not!!! Oh and before I forget, Troy and Gabriella will _not_ be in the musicale. That's just for Sharpay.

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